


The Choices We Make

by Artemis_stark



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christine and Stephen are dorks, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Memories, Stephen takes a walk down memory lane, marvel writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 07:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16850128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_stark/pseuds/Artemis_stark
Summary: This is for the marvel writing challenge on Tumblr! The challenge was Stephen Strange; Choice, Dance, Pilot.





	The Choices We Make

Stephen sighed as he looked out the window of the New York sanctum. He could see the bustle of the city, people rushing by, just faces in the crowd. He missed the constant movement, being a part of the constant movement. He remembered when he had first arrived in the city, shocked at how the long term residents seemed to just flow with the movement, skillfully dodging and weaving to get where they were going. It wasn’t long before Stephen was one of them, his perfect memory making it a breeze to keep track of where he was and where he was going. 

Now that Stephen was the master of the New York sanctum, he felt more isolated than usual. At Kamar-taj there were always people moving around, training or even just hanging out. However, now it was just Wong and himself, and the other man often liked being alone for long stretches of time. It’s true that Stephen occasionally got to go out into the city and get any supplies that they needed or even some food, but it’s different now. He is no longer a part of the city. An outsider. Different. 

When he grew tired of watching, Stephen portalled himself into the siting room and continued his melancholy musings. He thought back to his life before the incident. He did truly love being a doctor, although now he that he’s at peace with himself he can admit that he was blinded by the glory of being the top surgeon in his field. He liked showing off, proving that he could do things that no one else could manage, and that had corrupted the original desire to help people that had push him to apply for medical school. He isn’t proud of the man he turned into, but he’s learned from it, always striving to be his best.

He took a seat in his chair, the cloak wrapped tightly around him sensing his lingering sadness. Stephen would never say it out loud, but he deeply enjoyed having the sentient piece of clothing around. He would never have survived to become the master of the sanctum without it. He often reflected fondly on their meeting, even if Kaecilius was trying to kill him at the time.

As he sat there, his thoughts drifted back to his life before the accident. He knew that Christine and him were better off as friends but he missed when they used to have fun, before he took all the dinners and dances so seriously. 

~  
Christine giggled as she had another glass of champagne, holding onto Stephen’s arm as they hid in a corner of the ballroom where they went unnoticed. He chuckled as he looked down at her, face flushed.

“I’m serious! You can’t tell me you don’t think he looks like a crab when he tries to move around the tables!” He was pointing at one of the other doctors in attendance.

“I’d dare you to say that to his face but I know you absolutely would” She was still laughing hard enough to turn her face red.  
“You’re right! I should!” He had a wide grin on his face, turning to march towards the man they were laughing at.

“Stephen Strange! Don’t you dare” Christine was trying to be stern as she followed behind him but ultimately failed, laughing.

~

He smiled at the memory, he had gotten in trouble quite a few times at those dances for being immature and making fun if others with Christine. Once he became more well known, he started to take the fundraisers more seriously, recognizing the opportunities for what they were. When he decided to use them to get his name out there in the professional community, he realized that he had actually needed to learn how to dance.

~

Christine laughed as they danced, twirling around together. Stephen grinned down at her, proud of how quick he figured it out.

“So? How am I doing?” He smiled

“Pretty good” She smirked at him, knowing it would irk him a bit.

“Only good? Not phenomenal” He raised his eyebrows, narrowing his eyes.

“Eh”

He knocked their shoulders together, pouting.

“Fine, fine. You are doing absolutely spectacular! That what you wanted hear?” She grinned innocently.

“Yup” He dipped her as the song ended and she yelped, not expecting it. Stephen laughed at her.

~

That was back when they were still close friends. Stephen could feel a small smile start to form on his face from the memory. Things back then were simple, he didn't have to worry about magic, crazy sorcerers, and defending reality. He missed so much about his life before, some days it was unbearable. Some days it was like he couldn’t focus on the present because he was so wrapped up in the past. Wong seemed to have an supernatural talent for knowing when it was about to be one of those days, the other man barely left his side. Other times, on a bad day, wong would bring him a particularly interesting new book, hoping to distract him from wallowing in memories

Today was strange, pun unintended, because while he was skimming his memories, he didn't feel overwhelmed by them. Instead, he was enjoying them, treasuring them. 

He thought about everything that had happened since the crash, the good and the bad, and pondered. When he came to Kamar-taj, he would do anything to fix what would happened and wished every night he could go back in time and stop the crash all together. He never thought it was the path intended for himself, he was supposed to fix his hands and then go back to surgery. He had met so many people, lost some too. Stephen stood by the choices he made, and honestly? He wouldn't trade this for the world, he was meant to defend this reality.

“Stephen? Are you coming?” Wong called out from downstairs, “That pilot episode we’ve been waiting for is about to come on!”

“On my way Wong! But so we’re on the same page, I don’t look like the Sherlock guy, no matter what you say!” Stephen could hear the other man chuckling.

Yea, Stephen would make the same choice every time. This was his reality.


End file.
